The present invention relates to golf clubs and, in particular, to metal wood and iron type golf club heads having an improved hosel construction.
Golf club heads conventionally include a hosel which is integrally formed and smoothly transitions into the club head body at the heel area of the club head. The lower portion of the hosel integrally connects with the crown or upper surface of the club head adjacent the heel. Other metal wood golf club heads are constructed hosel-less, that is, the hosel socket connection is formed interior of the metal shell of the club head at the heel, eliminating excessive weight in the heel area and also making a connection with the shaft, the main source of power, at a point inside the club head body shell closer to the center of percussion of the club head. This arrangement aids in eliminating bent and broken shafts caused by excessive torquing and twisting of the hosel during the execution of golf swings.
Prior art patents of interest include U.S. Pat. No. 5,632,695 to Hlinka et al., which shows a golf club head having a hosel tube extending from an inverted or recessed concave wall. The hosel tube extends upwardly for attachment to a shaft.
Another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 3,572,709 to Risher which shows a golf club head which includes a flat inclined surface or space which serves as a support for a hosel structure including an outer sleeve and inner sleeve to locate and engage a shaft connected therewith.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,819,181 to Mills is an early example of a hosel-less wood type golf club head wherein the shaft is inserted into a tubular shaft retainer attached to the sole plate.
Still another patent of interest is U.S. Pat. No. 5,184,819 to Desbiolles wherein a club head is provided with a neck made separately from and fastened to the head for subsequent connection to a shaft.
The present invention is an improved hosel-less golf club. The club head structure is formed without a hosel. The shaft is connected to a lowered or sunken aerodynamic surface located below the top surface of the club head. Preferably, the connection surface is a ledge having an airfoil shape which reduces the drag at the connection between the shaft and the hosel when the club head is swung at high speeds up to and in excess of 100 miles per hour. In a preferred embodiment, the airfoil shaped ledge is substantially parallel to a heel-toe longitudinal plane between an upper surface and the bottom of the club head. The structure also includes an airfoil wall surface extending upwardly between the ledge and the top surface of the club head, whereby the wall surface and the ledge forms a generally L-shaped configuration. The shaft connection may include a ferrule which lies on the top surface of the ledge to further enhance the aerodynamic surface characteristics at the connection point.
The present aerodynamic structure is equally applicable to metal wood and iron type golf club head structures.
Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of an improved hosel structure for a golf club head having increased strength, weight distribution and stability.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of an improved hosel structure for a golf club head having superior aerodynamic characteristics.
These and other objects will become apparent with reference to the accompanying drawings and specification.